Caltech earthquake forum talks preparedness, life after ‘the big one’

PASADENA >> A fitting end for Earth Day Tuesday, a group of experts gathered to discuss what does happen, what could happen, and ultimately what will happen when a major earthquake rattles the Southland.

And based on the city’s earthquake preparedness when it comes to technology and building codes, Southern California isn’t ready to withstand a major earthquake anytime soon.

“We’re building a city to live through the earthquake, and then have no jobs after the earthquake,” Jones said. “We’re setting ourselves up to be bankrupt.”

McIntyre led Jones into opening the forum by having her explain what an earthquake is, through the prism of an early-morning scenario in October that McIntyre concocted.

“One piece of the Earth has moved a few feet up and over — actually, 20, maybe 30, feet up and over,” Jones said.

Some of the 40 Southland residents took turns asking the panelists questions, but the panelists and McIntyre mostly steered the discussion themselves toward a future “big one” here in Southern California, even though nobody knows when that will be.

“The reality is no one can successfully predict earthquakes,” Jones said in response to an audience question. “The big ones and the little ones start the same way. That means whatever happens before an earthquake is the same.”

Though there’s no predicting an earthquake, the panelists talked about how to be prepared for it. An earthquake early warning system like the one that alerted Mexico City of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake last Friday. is not yet widely available here in earthquake country.

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“You might like the elevator you’re in to let you off at the next floor. You might like the train you’re in to slow down. You might like the children to be put in a more protected position in school,” Heaton said.

Heaton added that wooden structures are “extra-resilient” in earthquakes.

Scauzillo knows a bit about the effect of earthquakes — his home was damaged in the 1991 Sierra Madre one.